(24 Dec 2021) Afghanistan's media outlets are on the brink of a meltdown, as they face a shortage of funding following the takeover by the Taliban.
A survey released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) indicates that around 43% of Afghan media outlets have shut down their operations, leaving around 60% of journalists unemployed.
The survey also indicates that the takeover by the Taliban has radically changed the media landscape.
Of the 543 media outlets operating in Afghanistan at the start of the summer, only 312 were still operating at the end of November.
A total of 231 media outlets had to close and more than 6,400 journalists lost their jobs since Taliban forces took over in mid-August.
One of the main reasons for the change in the media landscape is economic crisis and certain limitations imposed by the Taliban government.
In Shamshad TV, a local TV channel in Kabul where operations continue as normal, the channel's news gathering manager, Abid Ehssas, said the media have been badly hit by a loss of advertising revenue, which they used to make from commercials.
He also added that the imposed limitations have forced many organizations to even turn to self-censorship.
Women in the media industry have been especially badly hit, with more than 84% of them jobless since the Taliban takeover, compared to 52% of men.
However, women have remained on TV.
Afghanistan's most popular TOLO TV continues to employ female media persons who appear on TV .
Working at her desk, Shamshad TV reporter Shukria Niazai said she considered leaving her job, but then decided against it.
Still, Naizai is not sure of the future.
The environment for journalists in the capital and the rest of the country has become difficult.
Media must fulfill the "11 Journalism Rules" issued by the information and culture ministry and with Taliban interpretation of Islamic doctrine.
"Journalism Rules" open the way to censorship and persecution and dispossess journalists of their independence.
The Afghanistan National Journalists Association said the situation is damaging for Afghan media and the lack of access to information has made it even more serious for Afghan journalists
Journalist have been always on the frontline in the past 20 years, being targeted by Taliban, Islamic State, criminal gangs and, in some cases, the former western backed government led by former president, Ashraf Ghani.
In 2018, nine afghan journalists were killed and six others were wounded in a suicide attack, claimed by Islamic State affiliates.
The survey also added that, the reduction in the media outlets activities has had a major impact on employment.
From 10,790 people working in Afghan media (8,290 men and 2,490 women) at the start of August, only 4,360 (3,950 men and 410 women) were still working when the survey was carried out.
30-year-old video journalist, Mustaf Jafari, who has worked with local TV channels for the last eight years, became unemployed as the TV channel Rah-E-Farda which he was working for was closed after the Taliban took over Kabul.
Jafari now has a small pushcart and sells corn, from which he barely makes 200 Afghanis ($2 USD) per day to feed his wife and two daughters.
He said he doesn't have any hope for a better future.
Afghanistan is wrestling a nearly total economic collapse, a shutdown in international funding, an alarming rise in hunger and a dangerous insurgency by Islamic State group militants.
Added on top of that, billions of dollars' worth of the country's assets abroad, mostly in the U.S., have been frozen.
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